might have tracked him down still at work. and she's out. murder charges dropped against the u.s. open tennis referee accused of killing her husband with a coffee mug. and while she's walking free, authorities say the case against her still isn't closed. today is saturday, december 1st, 2012. >> from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and erica hill, live from studio >> did i just say december 1st already? >> i don't know how that happened. >> welcome to "today" on a saturday morning. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm erica hill. there is a little bit of a break for folks this morning, but it's not going to last. millions of residents along the west coast will get hit hard later today when a new storm stretching from central california up to washington state pounds the region. already the stormy weather there in recent days has turned deadly. we'll get dylan's forecast in

just a minute. also ahead, the president hitting the road trying to do an end around past congress. he's pushing his proposal to stall the dispute over the fiscal cliff. will his newest campaign of taking it to the people work? we're live in washington with the latest. also ahead, two words everyone seems to love. myself included. designer and discount. we'll have a look at what happens when target joins forces with high end retailer neiman marcus. it's a brand-new collection that hits stores. today it's already available online. >> target, neiman marcus, cats and dogs living to the? >> i think it can be done in harmony. plus a fond walk down memory lane for catherine, the duchess of cambridge. she went back to her old school to play a little field hockey and even revealed her childhood nickname. >> let's begin with that stormy weather out on the west coast. miguel almaguer has the latest. >> reporter: this week, much of the west hammered by wicked winter weather. in california, snow, lightning and rivers of rain. >> yeah, we're going to float on out of here.

>> reporter: in los angeles, sloppy conditions turned wet roads into a traffic nightmare. i-5 jammed for hours friday. downed trees, smashed cars and damaged homes. >> that big tree back there just came downright in front of me. completely crashed. right in the middle of the road. >> in san francisco where wind speeds topped 40 miles an hour, thousands lost power. a deadly storm that claimed the life of a utility worker who died on slick roads. at sfo, 70 flights were cancelled, delays topped two hours. before the weekend is over, 12 inches of rain could fall in many areas. flash flood warnings are in effect across the region. for now, the rain has slowed, but another storm is on the way. for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, san francisco. >> as miguel mentioned, the millions of people living in the pacific northwest are bracing for more bad weather. >> dylan dreyer is upstairs tracking it all for us. good morning. >> good morning. these are powerful storms and we still have two more to go through before we start to see some relief in the pacific northwest.

we have this upper level low pressure system, and this series of storms just trails in underneath that low pressure system, right into western california. you can see the rain is coming down still heavily at this time. it will weaken a bit as we go into this afternoon, but a stronger storm is going to make its way on shore as we go into sunday. so of course, because of that, we do have flood threats. we have flood watches and flash flood watches all across california up in into southwestern oregon as well. we are going to see the potential for an additional six to possibly eight inches of rainfall. most areas will pick up an additional four to five inches on top of the eight to ten inches of rain that we have already seen out of the series of storms. we're also looking at strong gusty winds on top of all this rain. high wind warnings and wind advisories posted. the ridge of the sierras could see wind gusts up to 140 miles per hour. most areas will pick up wind gusts around 60 to 80 miles per hour.

we also have mountain snow to talk about, another eight to 12 inches of snow possible. so because of that, we do have winter storm watches and warnings, mostly in the highest elevations. but again, this is mainly a rain event. tomorrow's rain on sunday will perhaps produce another eight to ten inches of rainfall across the area. but by tuesday, lester, we will start to get a break. >> we'll get the rest of your national forecast in a minute. meantime, the mystery surrounding the second winner of that massive powerball jackpot is growing today. surveillance video taken at a maryland gas station shows a man celebrating an apparent win. he disappeared, but we just may have tracked him down. tom costello is outside the gas station in upper marlboro, maryland, where the mystery man was caught on tape. we're talking about an arizona ticket, right? >> yeah. so it's a bit confusing, lester. here's what happened. it was lunchtime on thursday and this gentleman walks in and he pulls out of his pocket what looks to everybody in here in the exxon behind me as a legitimate arizona powerball ticket.

he wants to check the numbers. and then he realizes oh, my gosh, i think i've won it. everybody around him says it looks like it's legit to me. the numbers match. and we talked to one of those customers who says the ticket looked real. >> he was excited. you've seen the video. he walked back and forth here three or four times. >> well, he was excited. now the question is whether the guy who's on the surveillance camera celebrating is the same guy that our local nbc station tracked down at a virginia d.o.t. lot. that gentleman seemed to be wearing the same collared fluorescent uniform. he had what looked like the same kind of black suv that the first gentleman had. but this guy wouldn't talk to us. his co-workers said he'll have something to say later on. they don't think this is a hoax. so the mystery deepens. let's get out to missouri and talk about the winning couple

out there. we know more about the half winner of the power ball out there. mark and cindy hill, along with their three sons and daughter, came forward yesterday in their very small hometown of missouri to claim their half of the record prize. cindy described the home when she realized they had won. >> well, i didn't find out until the next day after i had taken my daughter to school and i went by to see what the numbers were. and i got back in my car. i didn't have my glasses. and i was thinking is that the right numbers? is that the right numbers? and i was shaking. i called my husband. i said i think i'm having a heart attack. >> no, no heart attack. it looks like they won the jackpot. they say their expect their lives are going to be pretty much the same. however, christmas is going to be a whole lot better this year. lester, back to you. >> i'm suspicious of the guy in maryland. because he showed up for work. >> wouldn't you do that to throw people off? if you don't show up, they're

going to say oh, that's because he won the lottery. >> i'd sit there with my big check. >> really? i'm going to call mark and cindy because i'm sure we're related. maybe. let's get a check of the morning's other top stories. from jenna wolfe. >> by the way, the woman who won but didn't think she won because of the glasses situation, that was me. i was like i cannot believe my luck! and then i put my glasses on and i had like one number right. what was i thinking? >> and here you are this morning with the rest of us who didn't win. >> and guess what, i'm not wearing glasses. so good luck with the news. good morning both of you. good morning, everyone. hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes in southern new jersey following a train derailment. seven freight cars derailed friday on a bridge over a creek, releasing vital chloride gas, a hazardous chemical into the air and sickening dozens of people in the process. officials say residents might not be allowed back for several days. islamist crowds are demonstrating today in support of egypt's president mohamed morsi. we're live in cairo with richard engel. richard, good morning.

>> good morning, jenna. this country is divided. the mood is tense. competing demonstrations here in cairo today. here in tahrir square, they are against president mohamed morsi, saying that he has become a dictator and is trying to rush through a constitution that allows for too much islamic law. but in a sense of the way the winds are blowing here, the crowds here are small and somewhat subdued. compare that to across the nile river, in front of cairo university, where tens of thousands of morsi supporters are gathered. they want more islamic law. they want morsi to be a strong president. so egypt can get out of its political deadlock. neither side is backing down. and egypt appears to be at a cross roads. >> richard engel. richard, thank you very much. north korea says it will launch a long range rocket this month. the defiant move set for december 10th through 22nd is likely to heighten already strained tensions with

washington and with seoul and it comes just eight months after a failed april attempt was widely condemned as a violation of the u.n. ban against developing its nuclear and missile programs. a huge red ribbon is hanging from the north portico of the white house today to mark world aids day. the annual observance raises awareness about one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. it also commemorates those who have lost their lives to the disease, including more than one million people in america. the u.s. supreme court may announce as early as monday how it plans to deal with court challenges to gay marriage. meantime, two women are going to get married today for the first time in a same-sex marriage at west point. it will take place at the u.s. military academy's cadet chapel. if you're in the area. the ceremony comes a little more than a year after president obama ended the military policy banning openly-gay people from serving. ford is recalling fusion sedans because the engines can overheat and cause fires. that's inconvenient and dangerous.

the recall affects vehicles from the 2013 model year with 1.6 liter engines. this is the fourth recall in as many months for the new ford escape which just went on sale last spring. it's been months since a small dog was found in a trash bag on the side of the road in louisville, kentucky. and today, as you can see, karma the dog is doing just fine. he can walk. his broken bones are healing nicely and his personality is blossoming. the maltese was rescued by the shamrock era fund and so far more than 400 people have submitted applications hoping to adopt him. that is the news. now back to lester, era and dylan. >> too cute. >> very sweet. jenna, thanks. dylan is back with the rest of the nation's weather forecast. good morning. >> good morning. hard to believe meteorological winter starts today. >> three weeks ahead of the rest of us. >> exactly. we like to take credit -- >> i'm going to wear fall colors the next three weeks.

i don't know about you. >> in protest? >> we are looking at that rain across the west coast. again, tomorrow is going to produce another round of intense rainfall. another five to ten inches. but the middle of the country, we could see near record or record-breaking highs. down across texas for the first day of winter, we could see highs topping out in the 80s this afternoon. that's a look at the weather across the country. now here's a peek out good morning from nbc bay area weather center. we are talking about more rain on the way. flash flood watches and warnings posted along the coast and a few spotty showers along the santa cruz mountains. we are looking at spotty showers. not the heavy rain we saw. the flooding heightens especially in the mountains. some areas could have ten inches total when it's said and done. >> and that's your latest forecast. erica? >> dylan, thanks. turning now to the looming

fiscal cliff. the democrats and the republicans still drawing battle lines today with the deadline for a deal drawing ever closer. mike, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. here we are december 1st and exactly one month we have to go if they can get a deal to avoid going over the fiscal cliff. everybody says it's going to be an economic catastrophe if we do. an average of $2,200 in extra taxes next year for the average american family. the president has undergone a campaign style series of events. he's had ceos marching up and down the driveway here. he's got a twitter campaign. yesterday he was out in suburban philadelphia asking con stitch wa -- constituents to write in, call, do whatever they need to do to get in touch with those republicans in the house of representatives, try to get them to turn their votes. the president put his first proposal on capitol hill last week. it had $1.6 trillion in new revenues. about half of it coming from ending tax cuts for the wealthy,

something that he campaigned on. there are about $600 billion in cuts in domestic programs like medicare. it was greated with gails of laughter by the senate republican leader. here's what the president and the speaker of the house had to say about it yesterday. >> i don't think it's acceptable to you for just a handful of republicans in congress to hold middle class tax cuts hostage simply because they don't want tax rates on upper income folks to go up. that doesn't make sense. >> it was not a serious proposal. and so right now, we're almost nowhere. >> a stalemate, said speaker boehner, and the clock is ticking. meanwhile, the president hosts more ceos this week. here at the white house, he's got governors in and he's going to continue his public campaign to pressure house republicans. >> joe and minka are with us now

for this regular cup of "weekend mojo." good to see you both. >> good to be back. >> good to be here. >> you were saying this proposal is a nonstarter. if it's a snnonstarter, why not put something that's a starter? >> minka said i always give lousy first offers when i'm buying a condominium, but the problem is we're so close to the fiscal cliff that you wonder why the president and the white house did what they did. not because they didn't have a right to start there and play hardball, but because john boehner is balancing. republicans say they will never, ever, ever vote for a tax increase, and those who say okay, well, let's make a deal. and i just think the president, by starting with a proposal that even "the wall street journal" said was provocative, maybe not the best first step to help john boehner pull over a majority of his caucus. >> totally disagree, because i think it gives boehner room now to look like he brought the president in now. i think it's a great first offer, because it's going to have to change now. just like bidding on a house, i give ridiculously low offers.

but you ultimately end up with a deal. >> you see even this answer? she doesn't believe a thing she says. but that's her first offer. >> we'll see what happens with the second offer. when you look at what's happened over the past week, a couple of campaign style events for the president. republicans meeting with a number of ceos. how much is really happening behind the scenes in terms of any sort of negotiations? >> well, actually i think behind the scenes is where they ought to talk about spending and entitlements and they ought to go for the hard stuff and both take the hit for it. i would say that the administration said from the get-go that he planned to go on the road and talk to more of the american people about what they want and bring that back to the negotiating table. >> and that is what they said during the campaign, that that was their big lesson. if they get re-elected, the president was going to go out and keep campaigning and take his argument to the american people. but if you've seen "lincoln," you didn't see abraham lincoln get in a horse and carriage and go up to pennsylvania. you saw him working it behind the scenes. that's how you get deals done.

and all he's doing, he's provoking the republicans and john boehner has to drag kicking and screaming to this deal to avoid a fiscal collapse. >> how far does this go? how close to the wire? >> i don't think it's impossible at all to solve the fiscal cliff dilemma by the deadline. so some of it is going to go over as they work it out. but they've got to come to a deal. i think everybody knows that. >> here's the thing that really bugs a lot of people, too. so we're all worried about the fiscal cliff and it's the end of this year. then it all starts up again when we've got a new congress. is that congress going to do anything differently? >> i will tell you what's so disturbing about what happened over the past couple days. you can look at the clips of harry reid and dick durbin, who's actually been very responsible on a lot of fist calf issues, and you look at what the president says and jay carney, and then you look at what john boehner says at the press conference. this is what they did last year. you're saying i thought everybody was going to learn to

work together after the re-election. it's the same thing we saw last year. we're probably going to see the same thing next year and it's distressing. >> it's risky business on both sides. they both really have a lot to lose if they can't get to a deal. >> minka and joe, thanks. you can catch "morning joe" week days at 6:00 a.m. the freedom of one american jailed in cuba for years could depend on whether the u.s. and cuba will agree to a prisoner swap. >> reporter: cuba and the u.s. are locked in a cold war standoff this weekend with the fate of an american contractor hanging in the balance. it could be the setting for a gripping spy thriller. swapping american alan gross, jailed in havana, for five cubans imprisoned in the united states. >> he's a very strong personality, and thank god, because i think that's gotten him through a lot of this.

>> he is an extremely noble person. he is sincere. he is honest. >> it's a political stalemate that has washington and havana on edge. in this military hospital, american contractor alan gross has been imprisoned for the past three years, convicted of smuggling sophisticated satellite equipment to this country's tiny jewish community. but gross says he was only trying to bring internet access to cuba. now he's been sentenced to 50 years for acts against the state and he's lost over 100 pounds. >> he feels like a solar left in the field to die. >> reporter: his family this weekend is launching a public relations campaign demanding his freedom. this top cuban official tells nbc news that his country is willing to talk to washington about releasing gross. >> we appreciate that there are human concerns. nobody enjoys life in prison. >> reporter: but for the cubans,

there's a catch. they want president obama to release five cuban agents convicted in 2001 of running a spy ring in south florida. the secret agents were dispatched. >> cuba doesn't have the drones to neutralize the terrorists abroad. they need to send people to gather information. >> reporter: this cuban ringleader is in a california federal prison. in an exclusive jailhouse interview, hernandez admits breaking some u.s. laws -- >> we came here with fake passports, fake identities. >> reporter: but he denies the most serious charge, conspiracy to commit murder by helping the cuban military shoot down two small vehicles. that's put him behind bars for life.

leaving behind in cuba his wife, praying for any solution to end their 14-year separation. but freedom for the cuban five would inflame florida's cuban community. caught in the middle, alan and judy gross. >> send alan home. let him go. you've had him for three years. >> reporter: u.s. officials told nbc news that alan gross cannot be compared in anyway to the cuban five, who they insist had a fair trial and were convicted of serious crimes. lester? >> michael, thanks. here's erica. in new hampshire, a group of kids who might not normally know much about lacrosse are learning a whole lot about the game thanks to one man's generosity. ron mott has more. >> reporter: michael garrett spent his fall pushing a sport

these youngsters hardly know. he started inner city lacrosse for kids just like coby spence. >> i couldn't believe my ears when my mom told me you want to join lacrosse? i was like what? >> a lot of people can't afford to participate in extracurricular activities. sometimes you find yourself in that predicament. >> lacrosse, a lot of people think of it as an elite sport. >> it is. but let's change that. >> reporter: growing up in the shadows of an ivy league tower like yale university fueled a burning desire to overcome. >> i grew up in the section where they told the yale students not to go. >> reporter: single mom, youngest of six who jumped at the chance to get ahead. >> when i walked on yale's campus as a little boy going for enrichment classes, i felt so important. i felt smart. and so i want to introduce that element. >> reporter: so he convinced equipment makers to give him free gear and persuaded coaches from yale and his alma mater,

trinity college in hartford, to share their love of the game and academics with kids like him in need of an opportunity. >> the excitement you have here on this field for this game is the same excitement you need to have at school. >> reporter: michael's journey has taken him here, just a few hours drive from his connecticut roots but a world away to one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country, the phillips exiter academy. he helps find some of the best and brightest young minds across the world and hopes he's discovered even more out here. >> that's what i want for the inner city kids, that they can have this imagination. that yes, you belong. >> reporter: a message heard loud and clear. >> so cool. my dream is to go to yale. >> reporter: on a new field of dreams. ron mott, nbc news, exiter, new hampshire. we're back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. [ boy 1 ] hey! that's the last crescent.

oh, did you want it? yea we'll split it. [ female announcer ] made fresh, so light, buttery and flakey. that's half that's not half! guys, i have more! thanks mom [ female announcer ] pillsbury crescents. let the making begin [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough.

still to come on "today," target good saturday morning. a look at the camera. wanted to make sure you saw the raindrops in case you didn't. fat chance.

anthony is here and it seem to be a touch of a break. >> a brief break. spotty showers today and a little bit of spritz action happening right now. nothing too heavy. we are waiting for the next storm system. along the peninsula we have spotty showers through half moon bay and a spritz sagz. all of this is light right now. we are not expecting a lot of heavy rain. clouds more than everything else. it will be cool. 64 in san jose today and 61 in santa cruz and only 62 in san francisco. this is the break before the next storm. the flood concern heightens tomorrow. we could be looking at two to four inches of rain tomorrow in addition already five to ten inches of what we have seen. the storm system moves out on monday and we could be looking at ten inches of rain.

tomorrow make sure you pay attention to the flooded roadways and overpasses as well. >> new details on the homicide in an upscale community. it is the first homicide there in 40 years. a family member confirmed that her uncle was the one killed early friday morning in his 7,000 square foot mansion. police say his wife called 911. he had been beaten. the husband was found dead-on the floor. there were at least one sbrouder and possibly four of them. neighbors say they are in shock. >> i have been here 28 years and this is the only couple i don't know. we are shock and taken back by this. >> investigators have not said whether it was random or targeted and that worries

neighbors as they are not used to this type of violence. >> new this morning, police are investigating the 43rd homicide of the year near the intersection of west san carlos and lincoln around 11:30 last night. police received report of a shoot and when they arrived they found a 17-year-old dead. they are searching for suspects and the kill appears to be gang-related. if so it would be the 16th of the year compared to 18 for all of last year. one of the most celebrated players in giants history is no longer a giant, at least for now. he is a free agent. they chose not to offer him a contract before the deadline. the giants could still sign the bearded relief pitcher, but he is free to sign with any other team as well. he is recovering from elbow surgery that kept him off the field for the 2012 season.

coming up, we have all the forecasts you need. more local news in 30. we are back on this saturday morning, december 1st, 2012. great crowd out there on the plaza. a little chilly here in the northeast. although hey, it is december. pretty balmy across most of the country. we'll get more of dylan's forecast coming up in just a

moment. i'm erica hill along with lester holt. coming up in this half-hour, a huge space filled to the brim with about anything you could want to order online. there it is. you might think it's santa's workshop. kind of similar. this is one of amazon.com's headquarters. we've got a special inside tour to see exactly how the heck everything functions there. how it gets from the shelves all the way to you. i'm fascinated by. this. >> you said big space filled to the brim. i thought you were talking about my manhattan closets. >> can you still close the doors on those? >> depends on the day. plus, does kate middleton ever not look elegant? she heads back to her old elementary school to chat with the students about how the school shaped her as well as her experiences when she was a little girl. it's always fun to go back, especially with a cool title named duchess. >> it's like hey, you can grow up to marry a prince, too. just in time for the busy holiday season, target is joining forces with neiman

marcus. there are a few goodies there that they've come up with. not that i was shopping online this morning or anything. >> you scored, didn't you? >> i did. very excited. and then last week, i had my special day on thanksgiving with my family as we visited my son and his wife in chicago. i got a chance to anchor the news with him. there were some unforgettable moments for both of us. we'll give you a report card on, as he called it, take your father to workday. >> he's still recovering? >> i'm still writing the report to hand in for the teacher. but first, it is a space bigger than two dozen football fields and more than a million square feet inside. for the folks at amazon.com, it is the perfect place to hold just about everything the online retailer sells. this holiday season, you could call them santa's very big helpers. harry smith takes us inside amazon's holiday headquarters in phoenix. >> reporter: don't tell the little ones, but santa is doing some outsourcing. christmas has gotten so big,

what with the polar icecaps meltding and all, lo and behold much of his work is done in arizona. while the people you see scurrying about look suspicious like people, they are elves equipped with bar scanners and carts. this is just one of 40 places like this amazon has across the country. it's not a distribution center. it's not a warehouse. in the language of amazon, it is a fulfillment center. this is where people get what they want. or if you prefer, have their dreams fulfilled. >> all this product and movement you're seeing back here are people's future christmas presents. >> reporter: dave clark is amazon's vice president of global customer fulfillment. he showed us around the place that is the size of 28 football fields. this is mind-numbing just the amount and the variety of stuff. >> and this is half the building

and there's three floors of this. >> reporter: miles of aisles of stuff. 1.2 million square feet shelved in no discernible order. the stuff is on the shelf it fits on because of one reason, it fits. >> humans are really good at taking this and deciding what space it fits in. >> so it makes sense that the one box of golf balls is here over by the grape jelly. >> because it fits perfectly for that. >> reporter: this is crazy. made all the more complicated by the fact that amazon tries to stock everything they can get their hands on. is the goal of amazon to carry at least one of everything? >> our goal is definitely have earth's biggest selection and to carry everything anybody wants any time. >> that's a far cry from the old sears catalog, the wish book. maybe it just seemed like it had everything.

we'd wonder just how good a kid would you have to be to get a jc higgins bike? so does amazon really have everything? when i was a kid i used to dream that santa would bring me a daisy red rider air rifle. and guess what -- they have them. i know, shoot your eye out. >> you'll shoot your eye out, kid. >> reporter: you know what? santa's got nothing on you. >> but we like to think we help santa as much as possible. >> reporter: and they do. here's what you all told the big guy you wanted. "the lorax." noise isolating earphones. an actual book, "diary of a wimpy kid number seven." and how to find those things in this kavn of chaos?

bar codes. amanda hunts and gathers and all the while the bar codes tell the machines where everything will end up. even what size box the orders will go in. but in order to finish the job, it takes real human beings to wrap the christmas gifts? >> it does. the holiday is about gifts. this is something that they bought with care for another person. you know a machine-wrapped gift from a human-wrapped gift. it's not the same. >> reporter: so this is how amazon loads its sleigh. it will take it to the right chute, which will take it to the right plane, which will bring the package to an airport near you. that is if you order on time. do you have reindeer? >> not that we publicly announce. those are really for those last-minute customer shipments, those people who are really late and really need the help.

that's when we pull the reindeer. >> reporter: but don't push your luck. for "today," harry smith, phoenix, arizona. >> that was fascinating. >> it was. i'm still in awe of how that all works. and how quickly those packages go, and the bar code reader can actually grab that scan. >> remember when they used to only sell books? >> hard to imagine that's all it was at one point. let's get another check of the weather now. dylan is standing by. >> we are looking at a beautiful sight here in new york city celebrating christmas time. what's your favorite store? >> the apple store. >> are you bidding your christmas list? >> yes. >> mom? >> yes. >> just take notes. early christmas gift for some people in the middle of the country if you like it warm. we are looking at temperatures about 20 degrees above average, and actually, going to possibly break some records later on this afternoon with highs today topping out in the 80s for the meteorogical

good morning from the bay area weather center. we have the jet stream positioned over the bay area. more rain is on the way. we see a little bit of light action towards oakland and hayward and half moon bay through the santa cruz mountains. all of this moved off quickly and making way for the next system due it arrive tomorrow wr'ches and possibly to six in the mountains before we dry out on monday morning. >> faen you want more information on the heat or that rain, you can always check out your latest forecast at weather.com. lester, erica? still ahead, case dismissed. the u.s. open ref who walked into a courtroom an accused killer but walked out a free woman without ever facing a jury. and luxury goods meet affordable living. what happens when neiman marcus

and target pair up just in time for the holidays. but first, these messages. . . . . . [ male announcer ] with over 50 delicious choices of green giant vegetables it's easy to eat like a giant... ♪ and feel like a green giant. ♪ ho ho ho ♪ green giant ho ho ho he is a good little monkey and always very curious. one day george got an important letter... he's built a rocket ship to travel into space. girl: google, how far is earth to the moon?

google voice response: moon is 238,900 miles... mother vo: the great moment had come... ...3...2...1. ♪ and there's juicy chicken best foods is the secret to making parmesan crusted chicken so juicy so delicious it's your secret to making dinner disappear best foods. bring out the best to making dinner disappear living with moderate to semeans living with pain. it could also mean living with joint damage. help relieve the pain and stop the damage with humira, adalimumab. for many adults with moderate to severe ra, humira is clinically proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. so you can treat more than just the pain. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, have happened.

blood, liver and nervous system problems, serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure have occurred. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live in or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist about humira, to help relieve pain and stop further joint damage before they stop you. [ male announcer ] it's that time of year again. medicare open enrollment. time to compare plans and costs. you don't have to make changes. but it never hurts to see if you can find better coverage, save money, or both. and check out the preventive benefits you get after the health care law. ♪ open enrollment ends december 7th. so now's the time. visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare.

so now's the time. this morning on "today's" parenting, raising a child who is very different from you. andrew solomon, nice to have you with us. as many parents know, their kids are all going to be a little bit different. when your child is very different from you, you look at things like dwarfism, a deaf child, an autistic child, a child of rape, a child who commits a crime. it's a tough thing sometimes for a parent to reconcile with. >> it can be very tough for a parent to reconcile with. my view is that all parents have to view can differences in their children, but there is no question that some children are born with a set of priority that are completely foreign to his or her parents and the parents have to learn a whole new culture in order to take care of their and child.

>> you spoke with 300 families over 11 years but really this grew out of your own experience. you were dyslexic and then you discovered you were gay. how did your parents handle that? >> when it became clear that i was dyslexic, my mother really focussed in on teaching me to read. obviously it worked. i've had many problems in life, but not learning to read isn't one of them. we really worked on that and we were able to change that. when i was older and i began to realize that i was gay, my family was very uncomfortable with that and they had a hard time with it. and i think in a curious way, the fact that they could fix the dyslexia left them thinking they should be able to fix the next thing that came along. of course, they couldn't. and it was a journey for me to get to the point of accepting myself and once i did that, they actually were very accepting. >> one thing that's hard for a lot of people to reconcile is children who commit crimes, and there is, you know, definitely a tendency to look immediately at the parents and say what did they do to this child to create a child who committed a crime. you spent a lot of time with the parents of dylan klebold.

sue said i think the other parents believed they had experienced loss and i had not because their children were a value and mine was not. it's not something you think about. >> it's not, but i have to tell you that since i published that, i have had literally hundreds of letters that are coming to me from other parents of people who committed other crimes saying thank goodness someone finally is telling our story. all of these parents have been through that terrible experience of being blamed, and some of them have behaved in ways that really have exacerbated their children's criminal tendencies. but mostly, they really have done their best with their kids and their kids turned out this way and they don't know what to do. i ended up thinking it felt as much like an illness to them as any of the illnesses i wrote about. when i was talking to sue klebold, i said it must have been so hard to go on loving dylan after this happened. she said oh no, it was hard to understand, it was hard to reconcile with, it was hard to incorporate into my understanding of the world, but loving him, that part was always easy for me. >> what is the most important thing that you discovered a parent can do to help their

child? >> i think children need to be seen and i think they need to be loved and i think they need to be accepted and it's not always possible to do all three of those things at the same time. but i think if you have a child who is different from you in some way, and instead of saying i'm going to make you the same as me, you say this is alien to me, it's foreign to me, it's hard for me, but i'm going to try to respect who you are. if you can get that loving message through, then the rest of sit easy. >> loving message. a lot of it comes down to love. andrew, pleasure to have you with us. >> great to be here, thank you. >> the book is called "far from the tree." we're back after these messages. oh...santa. [ male announcer ] the charmed memories collection at kay jewelers. each charm is hand-crafted in italy, and with hundreds of charms to choose from, you can turn your special moments into charmed memories. this weekend, get this free charmed memories bracelet or a charm valued up to $45 with any charmed memories purchase of $100 or more. at kay, the number one jewelry store in america. these are for me, right?

♪ every kiss begins with kay try this... bayer? this isn't just a headache. trust me, this is new bayer migraine. [ male announcer ] it's the power of aspirin plus more in a triple action formula to relieve your tough migraines. new bayer migraine formula. to practice math more? i love math! but two ipads means two data plans? that's crazy. maybe not. with at&t mobile share, adding an ipad is just $10 a month. but honestly, mom and dad's love is all i really need. we should keep these for us. we should keep these. what?! [ male announcer ] at&t mobile share. add an ipad for just $10 a month. one plan. up to 10 devices. at&t. rethink possible. one plan. up to 10 devices. oh, it's great! now i can brew my coffee just the way i love it. how do you do that? well, inside the brewer, there's this train that's powerful enough

to carry more coffee and fresh water to make coffee that's stronger and bigger... and even hotter! actually, i just press this button. brew the coffee you love -- stronger, bigger, or hotter -- with the keurig vue. [ dog barking ] ♪ [ female announcer ] life is full of little tests, but your basic paper towel can handle them. especially if that towel is bounty basic. the towel that's durable, and scrubbable. in this lab demo, bounty basic is stronger than the leading bargain brand. everyday life? bring it with bounty basic. the strong but affordable picker-upper...

now costs even less. cool, you found it. wow. nice place. yeah. [ chuckles ] the family thinks i'm out shipping these. smooth move. you used priority mail flat-rate boxes. if it fits, it ships for a low, flat rate. paid for postage online and arranged a free pickup. and i'm gonna track them online, too. nice. between those boxes and this place, i'm totally staying sane this year. do i smell snickerdoodles? maybe. [ timer dings ] gotta go. [ male announcer ] priority mail flat rate boxes. online pricing starts at $5.15. only from the postal service. so i didn't get the job. i tried out. >> i'm sorry. >> that's because you own every other job at nbc. >> that's true. >> you do need to let somebody else have a job. >> i tried out in chicago last week with this young upstart doing the noon news. >> doppelganger. >> that was my son, as you guys

talked about. i wanted to let you know how it went. >> and? >> did you coordinate? >> it's funny, because the weird thing people don't realize, are you going buttoned or no buttoned with the jacket? pocket square or no pocket square? these are the serious journalistic discussions. but it was a real joy. >> it was nice of you to do his makeup. >> i wanted him to look good. >> were you nervous at all? >> i actually was nervous. right before air time, i had this moment of like -- it was the father kicked in. i was like i hope he knows what he's doing, i don't want to set him up for failure. i'm sitting there thinking i hope he knows when -- he looks at the camera by himself. >> so you think he's never done this before. >> right. as i told someone, it was like that moment where you're thinking i used to cut the steak up for him. it was that same moment. i need to hold his hand. >> that's sweet. >> but he's always had this -- you told me this very sweet story. there was a night we went out to dinner recently and you were telling me this story about your kids when you moved to new york and one of them was freaked out

by a siren. and stefan ran outside to see what it was. >> it was actually a violent crime. it was a murder. >> i was sanitizing it. >> he used to come hang out with us and he was in california, he covered fires. sold tape to nbc one time without me knowing it. ended up on the "today" show. >> are you saying you wanted to cut it. >> it was a fun moment. but i'm staying here. >> we're happy to have you back. >> where would our nine shows be? [ laughter ] >> there would be a lot of dead air around here. >> you taking any time off? just ahead, as one couple comes forward with one of the two winning power ball tickets, the big question is could this man right there caught on surveillance video apparently celebrating perhaps have the other ticket? we may have found him. we're back in a moment. this is today on nbc. [ singing christmas carols in background ]

aunt sally's singing again. it's a tradition, honey. [ singing christmas carols ] mmmm. [ female announcer ] make new traditions with pillsbury grands! cinnamon rolls. that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun.

still to come on "today," only kate middleton could pull this off, playing field hockey while still looking as elegant as ever. then, welcome to the gun show. that's just creepy looking. they're the size of some men's waists. talk about the options on the... table and what they mean for you and your family. ancr: aarp is cutting through all the political spin. because for our 37 million members, only one word counts. get the facts at earnedasay.org. let's keep medicare... and social security strong for generations to come. ♪ [ female announcer ] just for these hectic holidays, mccafé brings you rich peppermint mocha

and peppermint hot chocolate. the simple joy of unwinding. i made the clear choice. i'm getting claritin clear with claritin-d. nasal congestion keep me away ? not since i made the clear choice. non-drowsy claritin-d. decongestant products on the shelf can take hours to start working. claritin-d starts to work in just 30 minutes. i can't wait hours for a nasal decongestant. that's why i made the clear choice and got claritin-d. it has the best decongestant for colds. this cold season, get claritin-d at the pharmacy counter. live claritin clear. i'd like to thank eating right, whole grain, multigrain cheerios! mom, are those my jeans? [ female announcer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't. multigrain cheerios to come home for the holidays. that's double miles you can actually use... sadly, their brother's white christmas

just got "blacked out." [ brother ] but it's the family party! really jingles your bells, doesn't it? my gift to you! the capital one venture card! for any flight, any time! that's double miles you can actually use! how illuminating. what's in your wallet? let me guess, am i on the naughty list again? ho ho ho! eat tomato sauce on my spaghetti. the acidic levels in some foods can cause acid erosion. the enamel starts to wear down. and you can't grow your enamel back. i was quite surprised, as only few as four exposures a day what that can do to you. it's quite a lesson learned. my dentist recommended that i use pronamel. because it helps to strengthen the enamel. he recommended that i use it every time i brush. you feel like there is something that you're doing to help safeguard against the acid erosion. and i believe it's doing a good job.

to help safeguard against the acid erosion. ♪♪ you can help othersnk along the way. ♪ ♪ a portion of every bottle that they sell goes to fight ♪ ♪ breast cancer and i think th's swell. ♪ ♪ the more you take, the more they'll pay, ♪ ♪ so make them write a big check today. ♪ ♪ and if you're feeling a little slow, ♪ ♪ then 5-hour energy will help you go. ♪ ♪ so buy a bottle of pink lemonade and ♪ ♪ you can help fight breast cancer today. ♪ >> good morning. looking live at a lovely start to the day. there is another round of rain and wind coming your way. i'm kris sanchez with anthony. the break should last most of

the day? >> yeah. light stuff today. not heavy rain. the jet stream is positioned right over us. that is making way for the next system. it's gathering strength across the pacific and it will be here before we come back tomorrow morning. you can see on the radar the showers through the santa cruz mountains. you are going to run into light shower activity and sunshine through the day. more clouds than anything else and the showers will be light. 63 in santa rosa and 63 in napa where we have the flash flooding concern and the rivers are rising as well. 62 in san francisco and 64 in san jose. part of the storm will arrive suspected. the flood concern as we electric at two to four inches and possibly more than six inches in the mountains. the rivers arrive and we could be looking at minor flooding by monday.

we will give you all the details. >> the cardinal football team and fans are smelling the roses this morning. for just the second time in 40 years, the stanford football team is headed to the rose bowl. rain made the ground slick, but it didn't phase the cardinals or the bruins as both traded touchdowns back and forth. stanford pulled off the nail-biting victory. >> we play with a chip on our shoulder. our mantra was to be loose and focused. our guys have done this. part of the chip onnure our shoulder is to prove we are not a one-man organization. >> they set a foundation and the players held people accountable to their standard of football. >> they play the winner between nebraska and wisconsin at the rose bowl on new year's day.

one of the most celebrated players in giants history is no longer a giant for now. brian wilson is a free agent and they chose not to offer him a contract before the 9:00 p.m. deadline. they could still sign the pitcher, but he is free to sign with any other team if that's what he wants. he is still recovering for his second reconstructively surgery that kept him off the field for nearly the entire 2012 season. coming up this morning on today in the bay, the latest on the murder in one of the most up stale neighborhoods in the south bay. more news and weather in a half hour. for now, back to "today."

welcome back to "today." it is saturday, december 1st, 2012. our thanks to them for spending

part of their saturday morning with us. i'm lester holt along with erica hill. coming up, who is holding that second winning ticket? could it be the guy spotted on this surveillance tape who is doing a little victory or celebration dance? we do know how the who winning ticket holder is. we will hear from the excited but humble couple coming up. >> with the great last name of hill. also coming up, the u.s. open referee who is accused of killing her husband of 50 years is moving on with her life. what she has to say now she is a free woman. it is not your typical field hockey uniform. that is okay. who will tell that to kate middleton who is taking a trip to her alma mater. we will tell you more about that visit. and then on your mark, get set, shop. target and nieman marcus teaming

up. it hits stores today and hit the online site earlier. we will look at that coming up. we will have a bit of fun looking at the pictures and viral videos that have people talking this week. >> i love this one. so sweet. plus he looks a little bit like my dog. we want to get you a check of the top stories. jenna wolfe is at the news desk. >> good morning, you guys. northern california is suffering through a weekend of weather woes. heavy winds and rain has knocked out power than delayed flight at san francisco international airport. three people are dead in what police are calling a murder/suicide in wyoming. investigators say a man using a sharp edged weapon killed a person in a middle class casper neighborhood on friday.

he killed his teacher nearby in casper college. he was not a student, but did know the victims. federal investigators are on the scene of a train derailment on friday releasing dangerous violent choloric gas. a delicate operation to remove the chemicals could keep residents out of their homes for several days. islamists are holding rallies in support of muhammed morsi. tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets on friday. morsi is set to ratify the constitution today. ford is recalling 89,000 is escape suvs. it affects the model year with

1.6 litre engines. ford is offering loaner vehicles will it fixes the problem. finally, the latest addition to the oregon zoo is up and walking on her own. a 300 pound female elephant was born friday morning. it will be a while before he is ready for visitors. for now, the zoo will monitor the mother and baby closely and start compiling a list of possible names for the newborn elephant. among the names, baby elephant, little elephant, elephant jr., small elephant, really small elephant and elephant that resembles her mother and elephant that resembles her father. that is the news. let's head outside to dylan. what did you think? >> i like elephant that

resembles her mother. we have a birthday. fred is turning 18. who is crying about this? >> no, his nickname is boo. >> i thought you were crying because he is 18. happy birthday, boo. can get get up a cheer? rooting for the mountaineers. today will lighten up a little bit. we will have a bit of heavy rain in california starting tomorrow. we will see the potential for another 5, 6, 7 or possibly up to 10 inches of rain in the storm and mountain snow as well. it will get intense on tuesday before finally the west coast will see a break. we have a flood watch in effect and flash flood watches for the 6 to 8 inches of rain possible in northern califo good morning.

you heard it. six to eight inches of rain already have fallen and another to eight is possible. we have showers in the mountains and that's about it. everybody else has drizzle that and continues through the day. the heavy stuff arrives tomorrow and we could be looking at six inches before it's said and done. the grand total could be 12 inches. especially in the north bay. our latest forecast. lester. thanks, we know the identity of one set of winners in the record breaking powerball jack would. we will have more in a moment on. that we have clues about who is holding the other winning ticket. the ticket was sold in arizona, but the owner may have turned up on the other side of the country. tom costello has that story from maryland. tom, good morning. >> reporter: lester, good morning.

everybody here says the ticket looks legitimate, but no one has come forward to claim the prize. question is, have we found that guy? if you found out you won half the jackpot, would you go back to work the next day? >> did you win the lottery? >> reporter: it looks like the man was back on the job friday. his highway safety uniform looks the same. the car he drove looks the same. so pat collins asked him. >> is that the lottery winner there? >> it is. >> i found him. >> reporter: but the driver quickly sped away. that is when pat noticed a coworkers he thought he recognized from the gas station video. >> were you with him? i saw you. >> i promised the gentleman is what would do is wait for him to

speak. >> reporter: it was lunchtime on thursday when this man walked into the maryland exxon station and pulled out an arizona ticket and asked employees what the powerball numbers were. they told him and he suddenly couldn't contain himself. that is cameron behind the counter. >> he is telling people i had the powerball ticket. i have the powerball ticket. >> reporter: also in the video is customer paul gogg who saw the arizona ticket and says it looked real. >> it did to me. nobody is thinking about that. i was excited for him. i couldn't believe it. i'll never see that again. >> reporter: how did a guy with a ticket bought in arizona end up across the country in maryland? was the gas station celebration just a put on? >> was this a joke? >> i don't think so. on behalf of his privacy, i will

have to wait for him to come forward. >> reporter: so we all have to wait. somehow did somebody who bought a ticket in arizona, allegedly, end up in maryland? people in the store thought he said he had just been in arizona and he may have been in the military or the reserves. meanwhile, arizona lottery officials say you have to come to arizona to claim your prize. lester, back to you. >> tom costello, thanks so much. in missouri, where the other winning ticket was sold, we know who won it and we know what they plan to do with it. so far, the money has not gone to their heads. jay gray has the story. >> the new missouri millionaires, the hill family. >> reporter: newly multimillionaires, the hill family is the same small-town family. >> it is just us. we're normal human beings. we're as calm as anybody. we just have a little bit more

money. >> reporter: no, a lot more they will share with their three adult sons and adopted daughter from china. >> what do you want for christmas? >> pony. >> reporter: cindy bought the winning ticket late wednesday. >> it is surreal. it is like you are in the dream. >> reporter: this is the $293 million pre-tax reality for the hills who at times have been in and out of work the last couple of years. mark, his mechanic, did call his boss. >> he didn't believe me. i said no. about five minutes later, he called and said really. >> reporter: the family will create college funds, donate to charities. they never plan to stray too far from home. this is quite literally the white picketed fence neighborhood where the hills are from and despite the means to go anywhere in the world, they are from the community and they say this is where they plan to stay. a community of less than 500

that us out-of-towners have been calling dearborn. >> dearborn. >> reporter: missouri is definitely getting the last laugh. for nbc news, jay gray in dearborn, missouri. >> i love that family connection. >> it's a beautiful thing. mark and cindy, it's been far too long. >> we call this a "today" show family. >> we're a package deal. our last names begin with the first letter. anyway, today is december 1st, republicans and democrats have until the end of the month to reach an agreement to avoid the fiscal cliff. we have mike at the white house with more. >> reporter: exactly one month ago to avoid the fiscal cliff and after a period of optimism and what we have right now is a

typical white house standoff. visiting a toy factory outside philadelphia, president urged congress to act and avoid the fiscal cliff. if not, taxes go up for everyone, including the middle class. >> that is like the lump of coal you get for christmas. that's a scrooge christmas. >> reporter: the president has started a new campaign for votes in congress. a grassroots effort on twitter and a friday trip in swing distri districts. allow rates to rise on the upper 2% of earners while extending lower rates for everyone else. >> it is not acceptable for you for the handful of republicans and democrats in congress to hold tax cuts hostage because they don't want tax rates to go up on upper income folks. >> reporter: mr. obama's opening

bid includes $1.6 trillion in new revenue. half from higher rates in the wealthy. cuts in medicare and $50 billion in new infrastructure spending. when tim geithner laid out the plan for mitch mcconnell, aides on both sides said mcconnell burst out in laughing. house republicans offered a somber assessment. >> this is not a game. >> it was not a serious proposal. and right now, we're almost nowhere. >> reporter: lester, there is the inside game in washington and the outside game of public pressure that the president is trying to apply. he continues both of those this week. he meets with governors at the white house and more business ceos trying to get congress to move the votes in the house of representatives and get something done before january 1st. lester. >> mike, thanks so much.

still to come, charges dismissed against the u.s. open tennis ref who is accused of killing her husband. why the court decided to drop the case. and discount prices too good to be true. we will tell you more after these messages. ♪ ♪ [ girl ] dear santa... ♪ dear santa, i want a ballerina tutu, a pink bike, a unicorn night-light... [ female announcer ] this year, bring their wish list to life. [ girl ] ...princess doll, markers... ♪ hark how the bells, sweet silver bells ♪ ♪ all seem to say throw care away ♪ ♪ from everywhere, filling the air ♪ [ female announcer ] chex party mix. easy 15-minute homemade recipes you just pop in a microwave. like caramel chocolate drizzles. happier holidays. chex party mix. happier holidays.

music is a universal language. but when i was in an accident... i was worried the health care system spoke a language all its own with unitedhealthcare, i got help that fit my life. information on my phone. connection to doctors who get where i'm from. and tools to estimate what my care may cost. so i never missed a beat. we're more than 78,000 people looking out for more than 70 million americans. that's health in numbers. unitedhealthcare. ♪ ♪

she doesn't even though our really get us. and she'll never know who we are, or what... no way, madden girls?? nike! who's your mommy now? famous brands. famously easy. famous footwear. victory is yours. it is one of the most anticipated retail partnerships just in time for the holidays. target teaming up with nieman marcus.

they teamed up for the collection. we have mara sciavamcampo with more. >> reporter: the doors just opened at are target and shoppers can go online to find 24 designers and 50 luxury items and a lot of excitement. it's not a partridge in a pear tree, but nieman marcus has enough for the 12 days of christmas. for the first time ever, the super retailers are partnering with 24 top american designers for a 50-piece gift collection. >> one of the great things about the brands coming together is you can really think about these designers that the average person doesn't get to experience. >> reporter: designers like marc jacobs and jason wu were given

free reign on what to create with housewares. >> the gold trim at $39.99. my wife's must have for the holidays. to clothes and cooking tools. and even some unexpected pieces. >> they don't. >> reporter: the collection ranges from $8 to $500. starting today, will be sold from the same price at target and luxury retailer neiman. >> we believe this collaboration will drive to meneiman marcus. >> reporter: each will handle inventory and sales separately. target with 1,700 locations and neiman with 40 stores.

it may seem like strange bed fellows, but the partnership gives them an edge with competitors, though target will come out on top. >> they have a long history of collaborating with designers. for neiman, it could offer a surprise. they did not intend to go into neiman and buy a diane vo diane von furstenberg. >> reporter: much to the customer's delight, you have been able to pick up these items over the past couple years. and missoni's target 2011 collection was so popular, it crashed the company's web site. >> this is one way retailers get you to buy that product at their store because it is only

available there. >> reporter: target says they want to make sure everyone gets a crack at the collection. they ordered double the inconvenient after and limits customers to five items each. erica, you have your limit of five? >> they are on the way to my house now. you mentioned they ordered double. i went on this morning and saw it was easy and so much there. >> reporter: absolutely. they want to make sure. in the past, these things have been so successful. they want to make sure people have the chance to get the items they want. mara, thanks. coming up, kate middleton v

stoil come on "today," we asked three women to try bra shopping online. i almost couldn't get that out.

we'll get the results. plus, a recap of some rather interesting things found this week. but first, these messages. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

who have used androgel 1%, there's big news. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it raises your testosterone levels, and... is concentrated, so you could use less gel. and with androgel 1.62%, you can save on your monthly prescription. [ male announcer ] dosing and application sites between these products differ. women and children should avoid contact with application sites. discontinue androgel and call your doctor if you see unexpected signs of early puberty in a child, or, signs in a woman which may include changes in body hair or a large increase in acne, possibly due to accidental exposure. men with breast cancer or who have or might have prostate cancer, and women who are, or may become pregnant or are breast feeding should not use androgel. serious side effects

include worsening of an enlarged prostate, possible increased risk of prostate cancer, lower sperm count, swelling of ankles, feet, or body, enlarged or painful breasts, problems breathing during sleep, and blood clots in the legs. tell your doctor about your medical conditions and medications, especially insulin, corticosteroids, or medicines to decrease blood clotting. talk to your doctor today about androgel 1.62% so you can use less gel. log on now to androgeloffer.com and you could pay as little as ten dollars a month for androgel 1.62%. what are you waiting for? this is big news. time for citi price rewind. because your daughter really wants that pink castle thing. and you really don't want to pay more than you have to. only citi price rewind automatically searches for the lowest price. and if it finds one, you get refunded the difference. just use your citi card and register your purchase online. have a super sparkly day! ok. [ male announcer ] now all you need is a magic carriage.

citi price rewind. buy now. save later. u-verse high speed internet. you know, in my day you couldn't just start streaming six ways to sunday. you'd get knocked off. and sometimes, it took a minute to download a song. that's sixty seconds, for crying out loud. we know how long a minute is! sitting, waiting for an album to download. i still have back problems. you're only 14 and a half. he doesn't have back problems. you kids have got it too good if you ask me. [ male announcer ] now u-verse high speed internet has more speed options, reliability and ways to connect. rethink possible. >> look be live are from the camera in elementsryville. we have a tiny break time to clean out the rain gutter.

>> we have a tiny amount of rain in honor of the holiday. looking at the live radar and let's get a peek that brings in very heavy rain tomorrow around this time. in fact tomorrow between 5:00 and 9:00 in the morning, we will look at rain and some areas in the north bay could pick up more than six inches between four hours intervals. heavy rain and here's a time on all that. today spotty showers and looking at heavier batches between 5:00 and 6:00 making way for the heavy rain tomorrow. santa rosa by 4:00 and that will make its way through the bay area as we head through the day tomorrow about five to six inchings of rin especially in the mountains. we will talk about that at 7:00.

the russian river is expected to reach close to moderate flood stage monday. details on that. >> thank you very much. new details on a homicide investigation that rocked the community of monte sereno. he is the former owner of the mountain winery. a family member confirmed to her uncle was killed in his 7,000 square foot mansion. police say his wife called 911 and say he had been beaten. her husband was dead-on the floor and there was at least one n intruder and publicly four of them in the home. neighbors say they are in shock. >> i have been here 28 years and this is the only couple i don't know. we are surprised and shock and taken back by this. >> they have not said whether it

was rangd random or targeted and that worries neighbors. new this morning, police are investigating the 43rd homicide of the year. it happened at intersection of west san carlos and lincoln avenue at 11:30 last night. police received a report of a shooting and found a 17-year-old boy dead. police are searching for suspects and say the kill appears to be gang-related. this wook the city's 16th gang-related homicide. coming up this morning on today in the bay, the rain made the grass slick, but that didn't stop the cardinals from becoming champs. where the team is headed next and who their competition may be. more coming up in 30 minutes here on today in the bay.

we are back on a chilly saturday morning. it's december 1st, 2012. i'm erica hill alongside lester holt. still to come in this half-hour on "today," a u.s. open ref was accused of killing her husband

with a coffee mug, she is a free woman this morning. we'll hear why the court decided to dismiss her case and let her go. and then when kate middleton was a student at st. andrews, she was likely like any other student. but now she comes back as the duchess. we'll have a look at that coming up. and then there were some wacky, interesting things that happened this week. i cannot wait to show you just a few of them. we will take a look back at the week that was in all things wacky. >> love that. and ladies, how would you like to go bra shopping? that's always an exciting proposition. it's miserable, right? well, maybe this one is for you. so there are some stores and online sites that are trying to encourage you to do the dreaded bra shopping online. the question, of course, will they actually fit? we'll take a look at that. >> i can contribute nothing today. >> nothing at snaall? >> i got nothing. >> dylan can contribute weather,

though. >> that i can do. we are looking at a chilly morning here in the northeast. it's really the only part of the country that is going to be pretty chilly today. the rest of the country actually enjoying temperatures near record-breaking heat, down through texas, highs today topping out in the mid 80s for the first day of december. we also had that rain on the west coast and we are looking at another round of heavier rain to move in on sunday. an additional five to ten inches of rain possible as we go into sunday morning and into the afternoon as well. a few showers along the great lakes as well. it will stay cool in the northeast. but by the time we get into the start of the workweek, we're actually looking a temperatures to be >> good morning. tracking more rain on the radar as we speak. light showers moving through the peninsula and over towards the santa kroourz mountains. note a lot of heavy rain and we will see intervals of sun,

clouds and rain. tomorrow the heavy stuff arrives and the flood concern heightens not only for the napa river, but the russian river. details on all of that at 7:00. and it's saturday. that means tomorrow is sunday, and we are talking "sunday night football" night in america. it is going to be a warm one down at cowboys stadium. 69 to 72 degrees as the eagles take on the cowboys with that retractable roof, weather doesn't really make all that much difference down in texas. of course, you can get your forecast any time at weather.com. lester? >> dylan, thanks. a prominent tennis referee is a free woman this morning. but just 24 hours ago, she stood accused of killing her husband, until the charges against her were unexpectedly dropped. michelle franzen reports now on a case that stretched across the country, touching one of america's most prestigious sporting events. >> reporter: she is a former u.s. open tennis referee,

accused of killing her husband of nearly 50 years using a coffee mug as a weapon. but friday, lois goodman smiled in a los angeles courtroom after learning her case was dismissed. >> i'm glad that it's over and can go on with my life. >> reporter: l.a. county prosecutors asked a judge to drop charges against goodman, citing insufficient evidence and new information in the case. >> based upon this information, we announced that we are unable to proceed with the case at this time. >> reporter: the 70-year-old was arrested in new york city in august, just as she arrived to work at the u.s. open as a line judge. her husband alan goodman was found dead in the couple's california home in april. she told police he fell down the stairs. prosecutors alleged goodman used the coffee mug to bludgeon him and stabbed him with the broken pieces. she pleaded not guilty. her attorney claims police botched the investigation and

says her client's dna was not found on the coffee mug. >> this is a wonderful woman whose name was tarnished all over this country. >> reporter: family and friends also came to goodman's defense, including her daughter. >> my mother did not do this. she is not capable physically or emotionally to do something like this. >> reporter: prosecutors say they are still investigating the case and could refile charges if they find new evidence. >> sounds to me like the forensics didn't match up, they're going to let her go, and unless somebody comes forward and says i was there and saw her kill him, then the investigation is going to end and it's over with. >> reporter: meanwhile, goodman says she is relieved. >> i've been treated fairly now and it was just a tragic accident. >> reporter: for today, michelle franzen, nbc news. it's now 35 minutes past the hour. here's erica. now to the duchess of cambridge, who recently stopped by her alma mater, st. andrews. duncan golestani is outside buckingham palace this morning.

duncan, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, erica. this was kate's first visit back to her elementary school where she spent nine years of her life. it was a real trip down memory lane, but we did learn a few new things about the duchess. who said royal life isn't challenging? try looking graceful and elegant while you're playing field hockey. not just that, try and making a mean pass while wearing high heel eed boots and an alexander mcqueen dress coat. kate, of course, takes it all in stride. the duchess was visiting her old elementary school. as a child she loved it so much, she told her mother she would come back as a teacher. instead, she returned as royalty. >> it is such a treat to be back here at st. andrews. i absolutely loved my time here. they were some of my happiest years, which makes it so incredibly exciting to be back here today.

>> reporter: it's where kate excelled as an athlete, captain of the hockey team and top goal scorer. a love of sports was something she would have in common with her future husband and a cause she now likes to promote. >> kate was initially quite a shy girl when she was at school. although she was quite studious and got on with her studies, it was her love of sport that was able to bring her out and become the person she is today. >> reporter: she told pupils how they got their nicknames from the school guinea pigs, which were called pip and squeak. >> because my sister was pippa, pippa was pip and i was squeak. >> reporter: somehow that's hard to imagine. this week with her new hair style and newfound confidence, a reminder of how far kate has come. more than 20 years after leaving that school, kate still holds the record for the high jump. isn't that amazing? i'm wondering if maybe she was

wearing heels at the time. erica? >> i find that when i do a high jump in heels, it's definitely a better result. duncan, thanks. up next, our weekly rewind. a look at some lighter moments you may have missed online this week, but first, these messages. my days are action packed. i've got to get breakfast ready for my two leading ladies. while managing their schedule with my producing partner. i set up kid's corner so they can learn and play games without deleting my stuff. "working mom" is sometimes a tough role to play, but it's definitely the one i was born for. [ clattering, children laughing ] and...action. that's me. and this is my windows phone. [ male announcer ] new windows phone. reinvented around you. ♪

both of us actually. our pharmacist recommended it. and that makes me feel pretty good about it. and then i heard about a study looking at multivitamins and the long term health benefits. and what do you know? they used centrum silver in the study. makes me feel even better, that's what i take. sorry, we take. [ male announcer ] centrum. the most recommended. most preferred. most studied. centrum, always your most complete.

this morning on "today's" weekly rewind, a look back at some of the most talked about, wackiest and frankly bizarre web findings. jenna is here with some things you may have missed, some for good reason. >> we're going to dive right in. first up, kim jong-un, the korean dictator known for dictating all things korean, named the world's sexiest man alive. what to the what? the satirical news site the onion jokingly bestowed that to the korean leader. so the paper runs a 55-page photo spread. quoted, "with his boyish charm and strong, sturdy frame, this heartthrob is every young woman's dream come true." can i just say the joke clearly

lost in translation over in korea. >> i love that story. >> it was a chinese publication. what's the chinese word for satire? doesn't exist apparently. >> or joke or sarcasm or any of those things. >> all that gone. >> it was funny, though. >> i really love that story. >> and for a day, he was like the man. >> the dude. >> takes long walks on the beach. >> okay, topping number two. the next guy calls himself the egyptian pop eye. here's why. his arms measure 31 inches around, that is the size of a small tree trunk, or lester's waist. all kidding aside. he works out two hours every day, insists that all that brawn is natural, no steroids. no believe you. >> uh-uh. >> guinness world record has not decided whether to recognize him or not. judging from the sounds from the peanut gallery, erica is a little bit skeptical. >> i'm going to ask your professional opinion on this. very seriously, you're a

trainer. there is no way that that is humanly possible. >> i have never seen that without implants, without steroids. >> thank you. >> what is that? >> just looking at that is really disturbing. it's totally disturbing. and it does look like they were almost surgically implanted in his arm. i'm not saying they were. >> and it is size of my waist. i want to put a belt around it or something. >> lester's like i could put some suspenders. a pocket square here. let's move on. this is a young basketball fan who grows up awfully quickly awfully fast. he's got court side seats at a wizards game. watch carefully. a cheerleader came by with some candy. did you see the eye candy? he was like holy wow, oh my gawker. the video and his priceless expression when he sees for the first time. let's look at it again. >> awesome. >> whoa!

oh, my gosh! it begs the question, lester, at what age did you go through that sn phase? >> i think he realized he's seeing double. >> and it's not just the candy. >> at the end, it looked like he was doing one of these, like he wanted to make sure he got the reverse. >> there were follow-up questions. you wanted to take the whole thing in. finally, when you think of popular duets, sonny and cher, barbra streisand and neil diamond, captain and tenille. until these. a baby and his husky. [ baby and dog howling ] [ laughter ] >> some people actually think

that the husky is saying please make this baby stop crying. if you listen carefully, it's what you're hearing, you may actually be able to hear him say that. absolutely priceless. >> the husky holds the note for a long type. >> what other kmochoice did the husky have? >> there's some people camped outside because they'll be performing on the plaza. so there are already some people in line. >> the baby doesn't understand that huskies don't normally do this walking down the street on a daily basis. the baby is like you don't sound anything like me. >> that is adorable. >> very, very cute. up next, lester's favorite story of the day. buying a bra without stepping into a store. ladies, it can be done. three women put online bra shopping to the test and we have the results for you. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

♪♪ you can help othersnk along the way. ♪ ♪ a portion of every bottle that they sell goes to fight ♪ ♪ breast cancer and i think that's swell. ♪

♪ the more you take, the more they'll pay, ♪ ♪ so make them write a big check today. ♪ ♪ and if you're feeling a little slow, ♪ ♪ then 5-hour energy will help you go. ♪ ♪ so buy a bottle of pink lemonade and ♪ ♪ you can help fight breast cancer today. ♪ oh, did you want it? yea we'll split it. [ female announcer ] made fresh, so light, buttery and flakey. that's half that's not half! guys, i have more! thanks mom [ female announcer ] pillsbury crescents. let the making begin [ female announcer ] holiday cookies are a big job. everything has to be just right. perfection is in the details. ♪ get to holiday fun faster with pillsbury cookie dough. this morning on "today's"

style, can you really buy a bra that fits if you shop online? we sent janice lieberman to explore the world of online bra shopping. we all know how enjoyable it is to go bra shopping. >> so fun, not. these days, more online retailers are trying to make it easier for you to shop for bras online. for many women, looking for a new bra in the store is about as much fun as going to get a new driver's license. let's face it, bra shopping is not an exciting venture for most women. >> it's a big issue when they have to look themselves squarely in the mirror and face those body image things that maybe they don't want to face. >> reporter: jenae is the author of "the bra book." she says why not try shopping online instead? >> there's been a few new websites recently that are offering surveys and different tools that you can sort of get a little bit of a better experience when you're shopping

on the site. >> reporter: these three women have never bought their bras online but were willing to try. >> if you can buy shoes online, you can buy a bra online. >> reporter: we went shopping with them, first at herroom.com where a multi-part questionnaire gets up close and personal. >> so you have to look at all these pictures of bobs and find the ones that resemble mine. >> reporter: based on their specific shape, the site gave them a bunch of style recommendations. >> i found a bra i like. i found one that's in my size. >> reporter: up next, barenecessities.com featuring fit guides and bras suited just for them. >> i clicked on to full busted bras. these bras are full-coverage bras. >> reporter: so when their bras arrived from each site, did they fit? >> hopefully. >> she has a little bit of cleavage and lift without pulling the bra away from her. >> i feel pretty good, actually. i'm surprised that it fits as

well as it does. i feel pinched, scrunched. >> a lot of women don't realize that every stingle time they put on their bra every day, they should adjust the straps. >> reporter: with the fit fixed, she still didn't love the feel of the bra. >> i think i would return it. i think there might be other ones that would fit my style. >> this hasn't converted you to the online bra shopping experience? >> not quite. >> reporter: deidre also purchased this black and pink bra, but it was too small. >> it's so tight. i see why it's uncomfortable. so this is completely the wrong bra for you. it's still too tight in the cups. you're getting a little bit of spillage. i would recommend something with a little bit of a wider band for you. this is more than snug. we want snug. this is tight. >> reporter: how was your online bra experience? >> i filled out their online survey and, you know, with my normal bra size, and the bras

that i received did not fit. at all. >> reporter: michelle is optimistic. >> very nice looking. it looks like it will be comfortable. and i can't wait to try it on. >> i don't think the girls are lifted like they could be. in this particular style, this size isn't working for you. >> if i'm not too lazy, i will return it. it's a little big, but maybe not. i love the way it fits. it's snug and secure. >> it looks good. it looks like the size is good. >> reporter: would you stop this way again? >> it's easier than going to a store. >> reporter: a convenience that might just click with shoppers. these websites have very generous return policies. >> so i can send it back. that would be my biggest concern. >> if you're not too lazy. >> i do get a little lazy with these things. >> reporter: we did speak to some of the companies about how they felt about these companies not fitting perfectly. we spoke to herroom.com.

she said first you have to find your correct bra size and they have to use your know your breast bra finder to find the best style for you. if you don't find the correct bra size, go their bra fitting page where they have extensive resources called fit guides to help you out. they also have fitting specialists available via live chat on the site so you can talk to a real person by 800 number or you can e-mail any fit questions and they offer free shipping on your first exchange, which is a big deal. and barenecessities.com said if you buy a bra that ends up not being the right size, they have bra fit consultants on call, they'll walk you through the fit process and help you find both the right fit and style for you. they'll ship you a replacement for free. they also have a bra fit guide on their site to help troubleshoot your problems. and it's important to note that both sides will give you your return, no problem, no questions asked. if the tags are on. >> which is important. even based on what the company said and what we saw from women,

it sounds like you have to actually get fitted first by a real person for the bra that is your correct size, maybe before you go online to buy it. because you have to buy the right size. >> that's the issue. you really need to know your bra size and sort of know what to look for. because the tools can only get you so far, the tools that are on the website. look, you're not going to find a better variety of sizes and styles than you are online. some of these websites have thousands of options. and for example, if you're that woman who's like a 32g, you're not likely going to be able to go into a store and find a good selection of bras. so you're really limited to shopping online. >> so for those people who do know what they need and exactly what they want, is this becoming more popular? >> macy's, nordstrom, victoria's secret, they're all starting to offer online guides. but you have to know, and we found out that the prices are different. because most of the prices in the stores are about 50 on

average. it's not on the lower end. >> also lots online, lots of european brands. that's where you're getting the higher price points, but you're getting a bigger selection. you can't necessarily find these brands in mass market stores. >> definitely something to think about. and it is nice to not have to go into that dressing room. bra bras, bathing suits and jeans. the three worst. we'll be right back.

♪ thank you. for what? when things were tough, you kept believing in me... you helped make this happen. thank you. [ jane ] behind every open heart is a story. tell yours with my open heart collection at kay jewelers, the number one jewelry store in america. there are millions of reasons to give one, but the message is always the same. keep your heart open... and love will always find its way in. you did it, daddy. we did it. ♪ every kiss begins with kay ♪

[ female announcer ] just for these hectic holidays, mccafé brings you rich peppermint mocha and peppermint hot chocolate. the simple joy of unwinding. progresso. in what world do potatoes, bacon and cheese add up to 100 calories? your world. ♪ [ whispers ] real bacon... creamy cheese... 100 calories... [ chef ] ma'am [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. the tree looks great with all those lights on. a big crowd out there. >> very festive. >> there's no problem waiting 45 minutes for a starbucks coffee downstairs. that's going to do it for us this saturday morning. we'll see you back here tomorrow. >> i'll see you back for nightly news later this evening. have a great day.

an upscale neighborhood is on hedge after the first homicide in 40 years. plus the stanford cardinal football team smelling roses. where they are headed next. today in the bay starts at 7:00. [ laughter ] [ girl ] wow, you guys have it easy.

i wish i had u-verse when i was your age. in my day, we didn't have these fancy wireless receivers. blah blah blah. if i had a sleepover, i couldn't just move the tv into the playroom. no. we had to watch movies in the den because that's where the tv outlet was. and if dad was snoring on the couch, we muscled through it. is she for real? your generation has it made. [ male announcer ] the wireless receiver only from at&t u-verse. get a free wireless receiver with a qualifying u-verse plan. rethink possible.

. >> good morning to you. looking live at the waves pounding against pier 14, this is a milder day than we will see tomorrow. good morning and thanks for joining us. our top story, you guessed it. it is weather. the entire bay area is on stormwatch this morning, bracing for what could be the strongest of three storms to slam the bay area since wednesday. heavy rain-flooded roads from the north to the south bay yesterday. high winds and toppled trees and more to come. a live look outside, all-around the bay area, you can see it is rain skp rainy and the roads are wet. you may be saying what storm? this is the calm and the break will not last long. anthony is monitoring the system and the timing o